“The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.”
Comp. also Lyc. 170, “with new-spangled ore.” ‘Sheen’ is here used as a noun, as in line [893]; also in Hymn Nat. 145, “throned in celestial sheen”: Epitaph on M. of W. 73, “clad in radiant sheen.” The word occurs in Spenser as an adjective also: comp. “her dainty corse so fair and sheen,” F. Q. ii. 1. 10. In the line “By fountain clear or spangled starlight sheen” (M. N. D. ii. l. 29) it is doubtful whether the word is a noun or an adjective. Milton uses the adjective sheeny (Death of Fair Infant, 48).
[1004.] Celestial Cupid. The ordinary view of Cupid is given in the [note] to line 445; here he is the lover of Psyche (the human soul) to whom he is united after she has been purified by a life of trial and misfortune. The myth of Cupid and Psyche is as follows: Cupid was in love with Psyche, but warned her that she must not seek to know who he was. Yielding to curiosity, however, she drew near to him with a lamp while he was asleep. A drop of the hot oil falling on him, he awoke, and fled from her. She now wandered from place to place, persecuted by Venus; but after great sorrow, during which she was secretly supported by Cupid, she became immortal and was united to him for ever. In this story Psyche represents the human soul (Gk. ψυχή), which is disciplined and purified by earthly misfortune and so fitted for the enjoyment of true happiness in heaven. Further, in Milton’s Allegory it is only the soul so purified that is capable of knowing true love: in his Apology for Smectymnuus he calls it that Love “whose charming cup is only virtue,” and whose “first and chiefest office ... begins and ends in the soul, producing those happy twins of her divine generation, Knowledge and Virtue.” To this high and mystical love Milton again alludes in Epitaphium Damonis:
“In other part, the expansive vault above,
And there too, even there the god of love;
With quiver armed he mounts, his torch displays
A vivid light, his gem-tipt arrows blaze,
Around his bright and fiery eyes he rolls,
Nor aims at vulgar minds or little souls,
Nor deigns one look below, but aiming high
Sends every arrow to the lofty sky;
Hence forms divine, and minds immortal, learn
The power of Cupid, and enamoured burn.”
Cowper’s translation.
[1007.] among: preposition governing ‘gods.’
[1008.] make: subjunctive after ‘till.’ Its nominative is ‘consent.’
[1010.] blissful, blest. Bliss is cognate with bless and blithe. Comp. “the blest kingdoms meek of joy and love,” Lyc. 177. are to be born. There seems to be here a confusion of constructions between the subjunctive co-ordinate with make and the indicative dependent in meaning on “Jove hath sworn” in the following line.
[1011.] Youth and Joy. Everlasting youth and joy are found only after the trials of earth are past. So Spenser makes Pleasure the daughter of Cupid and Psyche, but she is “the daughter late,” i.e. she is possible only to the purified soul. See also [note] on l. 1004.
[1012.] my task, i.e. the task alluded to in line [18]. This line is an adverbial clause = Now that (or because) my task is smoothly done.